Living Proof Your Donations Matter: Tyler the Terrific

Many parents worry over their children’s health; for health care professionals who are also parents, the worries seem to double every time they see a new illness or try to help a child recover from a serious accident. So when Jennifer, a nurse right here at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, started to see signs that something wasn’t right with her son, Tyler, she wondered if she could just be worrying over nothing. At first he just seemed pale, but then he became agitated and developed an odd bruise on his cheek so she took him to his pediatrician.

At 11p.m. on the day of that visit to the pediatrician’s office, the lives of Jennifer, Tyler and his entire family changed forever. That’s when the 4-year-old’s pediatrician called Jennifer to say Tyler needed to be hospitalized immediately; the doctor feared Tyler had leukemia. When the family arrived at the hospital, Jennifer was relieved to have all her coworkers and friends there to help her son. Tyler was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. He began chemotherapy and started spending as much time at the hospital as his mom did.

Jennifer was pregnant with her youngest daughter at the time and with Tyler’s medical treatments, an already busy time became even more hectic and stressful. Tyler handled it all in stride; he just thinks that all kids get as many shots as he does and have ports. This terrific 4-year-old is now in the maintenance stage of his illness. He’s on oral chemotherapy and receives shots at home. He’s doing really well and it’s largely thanks to the support of PCH’s generous supporters. The money donated goes to help Tyler and kids just like him today and tomorrow. It funds life-saving research and provides health, hope and healing for PCH patients and their families.

Tyler is able to do as well as he has been because past donors knew the importance of the work done at PCH and wanted to make sure PCH is able to continue being a force for good in the community, state, and country. Please consider donating today so that Tyler and all PCH patients can thrive.